Peter Gabriel
– So
Peter Gabriel had already built a reputation as an art-rock eccentric—an avant-garde shapeshifter more concerned with textures and mood than chart positions. But then he did the unthinkable: he made a pop record. Except, being Peter Gabriel, his version of pop was still layered, complex, and just left-of-center enough to keep him from blending in with the decade’s usual suspects. So wasn’t just a career shift—it was a reintroduction, marrying accessibility with ambition.
Best of…
From the opening punch of “Red Rain,” the album announces itself with cinematic grandeur. Gabriel’s voice, always capable of sounding both haunted and commanding, carries a new kind of urgency here. The production, helmed by Daniel Lanois, is warm and expansive, filled with sharp percussive hits, ethereal synths, and melodies that pull you in like a riptide. And then there’s the matter of “Sledgehammer,” the funk-infused behemoth that gave Gabriel his biggest hit, a groove so undeniable it almost overshadows the rest of the album—almost.
But So is not just about the hits. It’s about mood, movement, and moments of startling beauty. “Don’t Give Up,” a duet with Kate Bush, is a slow-burn hymn to perseverance, heartbreaking in its vulnerability. “Mercy Street” floats on dreamlike rhythms, its whispers more powerful than any shout. And “In Your Eyes” became anthemic not just because of a boombox held aloft by John Cusack, but because it taps into something primal and yearning. This is an album that understands both grand emotions and quiet devastation, a collection of songs that refuse to be tied to any one time or place.
Choice Tracks
Sledgehammer
A funked-out, horn-driven strut that made Gabriel an unlikely pop star. The rhythm section is airtight, the lyrics are cheeky, and that music video? Pure 1980s surrealist magic.
Red Rain
The album’s dramatic opener, drenched in urgency and atmosphere. Gabriel’s vocals are at their most commanding, and the cascading drums (courtesy of Stewart Copeland and Jerry Marotta) feel like an approaching storm.
Don’t Give Up
A devastatingly tender duet with Kate Bush, built around Gabriel’s wearied pleas and Bush’s angelic reassurance. It’s the sound of breaking down and being lifted back up again, a song that offers comfort without platitudes.
Mercy Street
Lush, hypnotic, and melancholic, this track unfurls like a dream you’re reluctant to wake from. Inspired by poet Anne Sexton, it’s a meditation on longing that lingers long after it fades.
In Your Eyes
A love song, a prayer, a plea—Gabriel’s masterpiece of devotion and surrender. Youssou N’Dour’s soaring backing vocals elevate it to something almost sacred. Whether or not you first heard it through Say Anything, it’s impossible to ignore its pull.
So wasn’t just an artistic triumph—it was a commercial one, launching Gabriel from cult hero to chart-topping icon. And yet, it never feels like a compromise. Every note, every lyric, every layered soundscape is distinctly his, proving that pop music, when done right, can be just as adventurous as the avant-garde. Decades later, it still feels fresh, still sounds massive, and still reminds us that Gabriel wasn’t just making music—he was creating experiences.